About 8,000 nurses recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board on consolidated pay have been demanding permanent employment for several years. They started a hunger strike in Chepauk, Chennai on 18 December 2025. | Photo credit: FILE PHOTO
As nurses recruited through the Medical Services Recruitment Board (MRB) protested for the fifth consecutive day on Monday demanding regularization of their services, Health Minister Ma. Subramanian said that 723 new posts could be created immediately and Pongal will issue appointment orders for these permanent posts. According to him, a decision will be made soon on their request for financial assistance during maternity leave.
However, the protesting nurses, affiliated to the Tamil Nadu Nurses Empowerment Association, have decided to continue their nationwide protest and are demanding further negotiations with the government. About 8,000 nurses recruited through MRB on consolidated pay have been demanding permanent employment for several years.
The minister told reporters that the nurses were getting a salary of ₹14,000 when the DMK came to power. They were hired on contract basis through MRB in 2014-15 by the previous government led by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. It was said that after two years of service, they would be appointed to vacancies based on seniority.
Calling it a bad policy, Mr. Subramanian said he has to appear for the MRB exam and work for two years. After that, they could enter the civil services for vacant posts. They were to be either temporary nurses or permanent nurses.
He said the DMK government has increased their salary to ₹18,000 in recognition of their work during the COVID-19 pandemic. “Since the accession of this government, the services of 3,614 of them have been regularized… They have been appointed not only to the vacancies that arose every year, but also to the 1,200 new posts created in the 11 new medical colleges.
A total of 8,322 people are requesting regularization. “Now there are 169 vacancies and we are filling them and issuing appointment orders,” he said. An additional 266 posts of superintendents of nursing and 140 posts of lecturers of nursing would be filled. During the construction of 37 blocks of intensive care, 148 places would be created for them. “We have told them that 723 new posts can be created and orders can be issued on the basis of seniority before Pongal,” the minister added.
“They are also demanding maternity benefits similar to those offered to regular nurses. This proposal is under the consideration of the government and a decision will be taken soon,” he said.
Efforts will be made to provide permanent employment to the remaining 7,400-odd nurses in phases, including creation of new posts in new district headquarters hospitals in future, he said.
However, N. Subin, the general secretary of the association, said that 169 posts, head nurses in grade 2 promotion and nurse teacher promotion, were to be filled and there were no more. “We have decided to continue the protests across the state,” he said.
Separately, after rectification of communal rotation, 724 nurses who were posted during COVID-19 without following communal rotation would be taken on consolidated pay, Mr. Subramanian said.
Published – 22 Dec 2025 22:20 IST
